I almost bought Hover Glide but decided to give the RRD H-Flight a try instead since I got a great price on it (used to work with the RRD US distributor), they offered the full set of progression masts (45cm, 65cm, 90cm), and it weighs in around 4kg versus the hefty "Sherman-tank-like" Hover glide. I didn't get the RRD Dolphin board (seemed too heavy and bulky) but went for the LF Happy Foil board. No regrets at all.

The H-flight has been great for learning on so far except for one thing. RRD completely blew it on production planning and for some reason did not produce anywhere near enough mid size (65cm) masts. I live on the Outer Banks (NC), which means lots of shallow water and having a mid size mast is a requirement. I bought this rig in early June and RRD has not been able to get any additional 65cm masts to the US the entire summer. They got one batch into to Italy over the summer but they all were earmarked for non US locations. None here till Sept. Seriously?!

Note to manufacturers: make one mid size mast for every entry level free-ride foil you make, especially if you are trying to break into an already somewhat crowded market with only one progression foil! The financial risk is minimal; they will likely sell, and are a tiny fraction of the cost of your bloated team rider sponsorship's. Better yet, package it in with the foil/full mast and set yourself apart. SS Hover Glide 1, RRD H-Flight 0.........

Agree. 45cm worthless. 65cm should be the training length, then you keep it for shallow waters.

+1 for that, good training length, and keep it for shallow waters later (or marginal onshore winds, but same thing, you have to start/loop in shallow waters and only way to be able to foil)

Not sure what is meant by underestimating ? Now or earlier ?
As many (or most?) brands got the mid sized mast option now (60-75 cm short ones), because they are "asked for".
But you are right, 1-2 years ago they were hugely "underestimating" the demand for these

Shorter than this makes no sense IMO (not even in shallow spots), apart from cheaper alu beginner sets where it could have its place if almost no added cost, and of course for schools.

You want a 90-100 cm eventually for freeride, most riders at least (racers often 110), and only a fraction needs "only" a medium one, if they are situated where it is ONLY shallow.

So it makes sense to focus on these overall most used lengths, BUT, many have been asking for the medium ones for learning the last couple of years, even when costly carbon - the latter has taken many brands by surprise I think so only the last 1½ year they have been offered by a number of, or most brands

Interesting development - maybe the medium ones are used for waveriding too by some, with the bigger and bigger wings offered now

the short short mast (<40cm) is cool for a school, because it's almost as easy to ride as a twintip so its very easy to get used to the feel of the foil under the board, and learn how to pop it up. but its only useful for 30-60 minutes of riding until you've mastered it, so it may not make much sense for regular people to buy

the half-mast (~60cm) is great and i think we are seeing most brands starting to carry them now. so possibly they underestimated the value in the past, but there are a lot more starting to come out with this size for learning.

When I say underestimate, I'm referring to an earlier committed production run quantity with an outside (Chinese) supplier where RRD might only decide to produce something like half the number of mid size masts versus the total foil production run for that year. After the product is launched they find out they have significantly underestimated demand for mid size masts, but going back to the supplier for a rush mid season follow-on order when the supplier is already backlogged with other orders (2018 production runs for other customers?) results in big delays.

I'm sure that contract manufacturing Al masts with just one or two suppliers is no cake walk when you want to rush something to the front of the queue. Couple that with the fact that RRD is new to the foil biz and simply underestimated mid-size-mast demand for the first production run. Hence the 3 month delay?? Anyway just my very crude guess

It's a shame because it's a pretty nice rig when compared head-to-head to the Hover Glide as a first foil